Household Hazards

Save on Pet Care By Avoiding Pet Hazards

When accidental swallowing is suspected, take the Better Safe than Sorry approach.

It is best to bring your pet in to your veterinarian.

Sooner is not only better, but it will likely be the less expensive alternative.

For after hour emergency questions or consultation one can call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control at:

1-888-426-4435 (1-888-4-ANI-HELP)

They are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Animal Poison Control does charge a consultation fee. At the time of this posting, their website indicated a fee of
$65 (10.2011).

Rodenticides

There are different active ingredients in mouse/rat poisons which act differently on your pet and require different treatments.
It is very important to bring in any packaging of the poison that your pet may have ingested.

The inactive ingredients are designed to attract rodents to them, unfortunately, they also attract pets.

It is extremely important to bring your pet in as soon as possible after ingestion of a rodenticide. Your pet may
not start showing symptoms for days, but waiting to treat until symptoms are apparent may mean that treatment is not
as successful.

Human Medications

Seeing something drop on the floor is often a trigger for a pet to dive for it. Vials can also be snatched off
counters, out of purses or off tables if in reach of the pets. Keep any medications (whether your own
or your pet's) in a pet safe location.

Different medications can pose different problems and can vary depending on the size of the pet and the quantity ingested.

Resist the urge to go to the human medicine cabinet for your pet unless you consult your Vet.

Insecticides

Flea and tick products are an important asset for our pets, but misuse can result in toxicities. It is safest to
only use medications prescribed and recommended by your veterinarian. Your pet should have an examination before
starting any flea/tick control programs.

Objects your pet may chew on could contain potential hazards, such as lead paint. It's always best to let your veterinarian know
what your pet may have eaten.

Fertilizers and other lawn treatments can end up on your pet's paws and then ingested when they lick their paws. Pets can also chew or eat
treated plant material.

Ingestion Hazards

Chewing up or playing with and swallowing objects can potentially lead to gastrointestinal problems, including
obstructions. The following are just some of the objects that I have had to repeatedly surgically remove from pets
intestinal tracts:

String

Dental floss

Carpet strands

Parts of plastic toys

Underwear

Socks

Poker chips

Tennis balls

Elastic Hair binders

Bones

Pieces of unknown plastic

Sewing needles

Coins

Long fibers such as string, floss and carpet strands can result in the upper end becoming trapped while the far end
continues to travel down bunch up the digestive tract along the way. When pulled taught, these little fibers
also can act like a knife, cutting into intestinal walls.

Electric cords

These pose a hazard for electric shock and your pet's interest in cords must be carefully discouraged and
monitored.

Sprays that taste bad to your pet can be useful to help them from picking up or chewing on objects
that we don't want them to. Rabbits seem to have a particular fondness for chewing on cords.

Other

It is hard to always stay one step ahead of our inquisitive little friends. It is not always easy to
anticipate the hazard before it occurs.

On and around the Lakes or Rivers

Life vests are available for pets and not only are great for safety, but also help keep your pet warm.

Watch thin ice areas, pets can fall through too. Pets, like people are warm blooded and can also suffer from the
effects of hypothermia.

Other common outdoor hazards include fish hooks, falls from high places, cuts from barbed wire fences, and
corneal injuries from dog's hanging their heads out car windows (flying debris).

Unusual hazards that Dr. Gerds has successfully treated have
included:

a parakeet that landed in a tub of Crisco

a Persian cat with two mouse glue traps embedded in its fur

a snake caught in an owner's ring (the snake thought he could fit through)

a parakeet with a toy attachment piercing his lower jaw

a duck caught in a plastic snow fence (came in
with fence portion attached).

Speaking of pet birds, NEVER allow your bird to be flying when a ceiling fan is turned on, or the windows open.

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